Craig Kelly is a Liberal MP who has served as the Member for Hughes, in southern Sydney, since 2010.
He has long been known for his controversial views, but since the coronavirus pandemic, Kelly's outspoken, misinformed and at times dangerous commentary has reached a new fever-pitch with the prime minister facing increasing pressure in recent weeks to pull him into line.
Appearing on well-known conspiracy theorist Pete Evans' podcast this week, despite it being dumped by Spotify in January for spreading misleading content about COVID-19, appears to be the final straw with senior cabinet members, media commentators and doctors all voicing their concerns, forcing Scott Morrison to, on Wednesday, finally pull him up.
First, a bit of background.
As of January 2020, Kelly's Facebook page had higher levels of engagement than both the prime minister and leader of the opposition, thanks to his persistent rallying against climate science.
Kelly has long been a divisive, right-wing fixture of Australian politics, with Carrington Brigham, managing director of digital at communications agency Agenda C, telling the Sydney Morning Herald a year ago that he had "cultivated a multi-conservative following."
Kelly has been an advocate for disability over the years, using his first speech to Parliament to describe the challenges of raising a son with Down syndrome. But ever since he's been making far more headlines for his controversial viewpoints than anything else.
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